Endogenous cholinergic tone modulates spontaneous network level neuronal activity in primary cortical cultures grown on multi-electrode arrays.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cortical cultures grown long-term on multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) are frequently and extensively used as models of cortical networks in studies of neuronal firing activity, neuropharmacology, toxicology and mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity. However, in contrast to the predominantly asynchronous neuronal firing activity exhibited by intact cortex, electrophysiological activity of mature cortical cultures is dominated by spontaneous epileptiform-like global burst events which hinders their effective use in network-level studies, particularly for neurally-controlled animat ('artificial animal') applications. Thus, the identification of culture features that can be exploited to produce neuronal activity more representative of that seen in vivo could increase the ut

SUBMITTER: Hammond MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3644495 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature